so i'm just embedded in the frost
by silverbranches
Summary: After seeing Robin and Marian in the diner, Regina just needs to get away. But the weather turns dangerously cold, and when Henry can't find his mom, the Charmings organize a search. Robin offers to help, hoping he can find her before it's too late.


_So yay! Another story! I hope you all enjoy, and please review!_

_Disclaimer: Once Upon a Time doesn't belong to me. Also, the song lyrics are from the Daughter song "Landfill"._

* * *

Regina couldn't do this anymore. She couldn't stand here and watch them, watch Robin keep Marian close to his side (a place she used to occupy, if only for a short while), watch Roland sit happily in Marian's lap when he used to do the same with _her._

So she told Henry that she was leaving, and ignored the understanding look he gave her. He gave her a hug and told her that he'd have Emma drop him off at the house later.

Regina walked briskly down the street, rubbing her arms against the chill that had settled over the town. She was almost at her house when she realized that she didn't really want to go home, not where there were too many memories. The kitchen was where Robin had tried – and failed – to make breakfast with modern appliances, the living room was where the two of them had enjoyed their fireside picnic, and the backyard was where Roland had un around plying for hours and hours before they went to buy ice cream.

So instead of walking back to her home, she disappeared in a cloud of purple smoke to the one place where she had always felt safe.

* * *

It was nearing midnight, and only a few people were still in Granny's diner. Snow and David sat in their usual booth, talking quietly to Granny and Ruby while Snow rocked baby Neal. Hook sat in the corner with Emma, who had only just returned from dropping Henry off at Regina's. Robin and Marian were also there, catching up on all the years that Marian had missed.

The bell jingled madly as the door was shoved open and Henry rushed in. "She's gone!" he gasped, panting for breath.

Snow, David, Emma, and Hook immediately jumped up, and Robin looked over his shoulder with concern.

"Who's gone?" Snow asked. "Henry, what happened?"

"My mom!" Henry said. "I was at home, but she wasn't there. I searched the entire house, but I couldn't find her!"

"We'll find her," Snow reassured him. "Stay here with Granny, and we'll start looking."

"We better start soon," Emma said. "It's been getting really cold outside."

"I'd say it's escalated a bit, love," Hook commented, nodding toward the window. "It's started to snow."

At the same time, everyone looked out the window, from which they could see snow just beginning to flutter down.

"What the hell?" Emma wondered, before shaking herself from her stupor. "We can worry about weird weather patterns later – let's just find Regina, and quickly."

"I'll help," Robin offered, ignoring the sharp look Marian threw him in favor of walking closer to the Charmings. "The more of us there are, the more ground we can cover."

Emma and Snow shot him identical knowing looks, but he was too focused on zipping up his jacket and pulling on his gloves to notice.

"Alright," Emma said. "Let's start looking."

* * *

Their search had been delayed when Snow and David had gotten into an argument, with Snow insisting that she help search and David refusing. Snow finally consented to wait at the apartment with baby Neal and Henry, and the rest of them split up to begin the search.

Robin cursed as he shielded his eyes against the snow, which had begun to fall with more force in the past ten minutes. He had been assigned a part of the forest to go through, considering he knew the place best, but it had been twenty minutes and there had still been no sign of the missing queen.

Robin cursed again as he tripped over a root that had been hidden by the snow. This was pointless – he needed a better plan than wandering aimlessly around the forest, or else he himself would be lost. So he stopped moving and tried to think - where would a queen who (as much as he hated to admit) had her heart broken by him, who was lonely and hurt, go? The obvious choice was her castle – her mansion, in this world – but the whole reason he was out here was because she wasn't there.

He thought for a few minutes more, continuously moving to keep himself warm, but he kept pulling up blanks. He couldn't think of a single place where the Evil Queen would go.

Then he realized he was thinking about this wrong – he kept trying to think where Regina the Queen would go to hide. But where would Regina _the Person _go?

HE thought some more before remembering a conversation he had had with Regina once.

* * *

_He had just escaped to the stables, wanting to ride to the forest and get away from the confines of the castle for a while. He was used to the scent of the forest and trees surrounding him all the tine, so living indoors – no matter how luxurious it was – was unsettling. So he had left Roland with Little John and had just entered the stables when he stopped abruptly. Standing in front of him, feeding a horse an apple, was the Queen, Regina._

"_Your Majesty," he said, bowing a little._

"_Hood," she greeted him. Though they had been on friendlier terms since their first meeting, the Queen had still acted aloof towards him._

_Robin retrieved the saddle and tack from the wall and began saddling one of the horses, glancing occasionally at Regina from the corner of his eye. She seemed uncaring of his presence, focused on feeding chunks of apple to the horse in front of her._

"_Forgive me for saying so, Your Majesty," Robin said, "but I am rather surprised to see you here. I didn't think queens spent much time in the stables."_

_Regina didn't bother to turn and face him as she replied, "I once…knew…somebody who used to work in the stables of my father's estate." She stroked the horse's mane absentmindedly, and the corners of her lips quirked into the barest hint of a smile. "He was a good man, and he gave me advice whenever I needed it. So sometimes, when I need to get away and think without interruption, I come here."_

"_What happened to him?" Robin asked softly. "The man you knew, what happened?"_

_Regina dropped her hand, and the smile disappeared quickly from her lips. _

"_He died. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some work to do in the castle. Have a nice ride, Hood." With that, she pushed past him ad walked out the stables._

* * *

_Of course,_ Robin thought. _She's in the stables._ He turned and hurried in the direction of the main road, hoping that he could find her before things got worse.

Even with David's truck (which the prince had lent him before hopping in Emma's car), it still took Robin ten minutes to reach the stables. He jumped out the car and ran to the wooden building.

"Regina!" he shouted, even though he knew it was useless and she wouldn't be able to hear him over the howling wind. "Regina!"

He struggled with the stable doors before finally creating a gap large enough for him to slip through. The heavy door slammed behind him. Robin immediately clicked his flashlight (quite a handy device, this flashlight) on, and swept it frantically across the stable.

Nothing.

The desperation in his chest bloomed into a full-fledged panic, but before he could swing his flashlight around the stable again, he heard a noise.

A whimper, a small one, coming from the far corner of the stable.

Robin nearly dropped his flashlight in his haste to get over there, but when he did, he didn't know whether to sigh in relief or curse in fear. Because there, huddled in the corner, was Regina. Shivers wracked her body as she curled up in an attempt to keep warm.

"Regina," Robin breathed, and he quickly covered her with his jacket (thankfully, he had worn two) before gently picking her up, trying not to think about how cold she was.

Regina's eyes cracked open, and she looked up into Robin's face, though Robin didn't think she was really seeing him.

"Daniel," she slurred, and her hand reached up to caress his cheek before it dropped and her eyes closed again. Robin focused on getting her to the truck quickly, and he drove as fast as he could to the Charmings' apartment. He tried not to think about the cold feel of her skin, and just hoped that he had found her in time.

* * *

By the time Robin arrived at the apartment, Emma, David, and Hook had already returned. Everyone was huddled despondently around the dining room table, and when he entered, they all looked with a mixture of relief and worry at the Queen shivering in his arms.

Snow was the first to snap out of it. "Put her in my bed, over there," she ordered Robin, pointing in the direction of the bedroom. "Make sure you put as many blankets as you can on her. Henry, grab the spare blankets from the closet and give them to Robin."

Both did as they were told. Robin struggled for a moment with the blankets, not wanting to relinquish his hold on her for a second, and he finally managed to tuck her under the covers. He stayed by her side until Henry returned with the blankets, followed shortly after by Snow, who shooed them out of the room while she took care of Regina.

For the next hour, Robin stayed in the apartment, trying to distract himself by listening to the others discuss what could be behind the strange weather. He joined in with his own comments when he thought it was necessary, but most of the time he paced around with one eye on the curtain that separated him from seeing Regina.

It was a while later when Snow finally emerged from the room, announcing that Regina was dong better and just needed to rest and keep warm. While they all tried to figure out the new sleeping arrangements for the night, Robin slipped into the bedroom, planning on seeing for himself that she was alright before returning to Granny's.

He stepped forward softly, noticing how pale she still looked, even though some color had returned to her cheeks. He watched the gentle rise and fall of her chest, reassuring himself that she was still alive, that he had made it in time. He gently brushed her hair back from her forehead, and she shifted, her eyes opening just a little.

"Robin," she mumbled, still in the stage between sleep and wakefulness. Robin took it as a good sign that she had recognized him this time.

Regina grabbed his hand and grasped it tightly in her own – or at least, as tightly as she could, which wasn't much. "Don't leave me," she asked him. "Everybody leaves. I don't want you to leave too." Her voice grew softer and softer until she finally slipped back into sleep.

Robin didn't move for a moment, his thoughts battling inside his head. He didn't know what to do anymore. Once, he would have stayed by Marian's side forever, because she was his wife and he loved her now. But now…things had changed, and he wasn't sure if being her husband was enough to give up being with Regina.

He glanced at the clock on the bedside table and realized that he would have to return to Granny's. He had already been gone for hours, and he didn't want Marian or Roland to worry.

Bending down, he brushed his lips against Regina's in a light kiss. "I'll figure this all out somehow," he promised her. "I don't know what to do, but I know that I will _never _leave you."

He gave her one last kiss and then he left, murmuring good-bye to the others and trying to figure out how he could keep his promise.


End file.
